Gas-liquid contact apparatus



1967 A. J. scHIMPK 3,34

GASLIQUID CONTACT APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 27, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 3967 A. J. SCHIMPKE GASLIQUID CONTACT APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Sept. 27, 1962 INVENTOR. HZZf/Z' 5c%z /7/p/Pe 1 f Hirer/V575.

Oct. 17', 3967 A. J. SCHIMPKE 3,347,535

GAS -LIQUID CONTACT APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 27, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,347,535 GAS-LIQUID CONTACT APPARATUS Albert J. Schimpke, 28050 Golden Gate, Lathrup Village, Mich. 43075 Continuation of application Ser. No. 226,492, Sept. 27, 1962. This application June 3, 1966, Ser. No. 555,204 10 Claims. (Cl. 261-29) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An air washer in which dirt-laden air is brought into the lower end of a housing and caused to flow upwardly through an air-washing zone in the housing. A rotary spray generating means in the air-washing zone breaks up water supplied by a pump into fine particles which are thrown outwardly across the air-washing zone to intersect the air stream and remove dirt therefrom.

This invention relates to gas-liquid contact apparatus and in particular has reference to a machine for washing and cleaning dust-laden air. The apparatus herein disclosed is an improvement upon the air-washing apparatus disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,599,202, issued June 3, 1952, for Apparatus for Washing and Conditioning Air. This application is a continuation of my copending application Ser. No. 226,492, filed Sept. 27, 1962, now abandoned.

The present invention is directed to certain improvements in construction and in the spray generating means which serve to improve the efiiciency, dependability and utility of the apparatus and to reduce the maintenance requirements thereof.

A principal object of the invention therefore is to provide in a gas-liquid contact apparatus an improved spray generating means.

Another object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus of the character described an improved pumping means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved air-washing machine.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, of which there are four sheets, which by way of illustration show a preferred embodiment of the invention and what I now consider to be the best mode of applying the principles thereof. Other embodiments of the invention may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevational View of the rotary impellers and the liquid pump, and the driving arrangement therefor;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the gas-liquid contact apparatus is an air washer which includes a tank 10, vertical housings 12 supported on the tank 10, and an exhaust blower 14 having its inlet connected to the interior of the housings 12 for effecting the flow of air through each of the housings. The scroll 16 of the blower 14 is arranged to discharge the air pumped by the blower 14 into the atmosphere through the outlet 18 thereof. However, the outlet 18 of the blower may be connected with any suitable duct work if desired. The blower 14 includes a rotor (not shown) carried by a shaft 20 having a pulley 22 thereon which is driven by belt 24 from a pulley on the shaft of motor 26 which is mounted on the side of the blower 14.

The housings 12 are circular in cross section and are supported on the tank 10 in such a manner that the interior of each of the housings communicates at its lower end with the interior of the tank 10 at the upper end thereof. The tank is partly filled as indicated with liquid, preferably water. The interior of each of the housings provides a vertical air flow path through which air is circulated by the blower 14 which is arranged so that the inlet of the blower communicates with the upper end of each of the housings 12 through the manifold 30'. The tank 10 is provided with an inlet 32 for dirt-laden air which opens into the upper part of the tank and thus provides a common inlet for the two housings 12. The tank is also provided with a lateral extension 34- which provides a cleanout whereby sediment, dirt, and the like which accumulate in the tank may be removed therefrom. Each of the housings 12 is provided with an inspection port normally closed by a closure 36. Liquid separating bafiies (not shown) are provided in the upper end of the housings 12 so as to remove liquid from the airstream before it enters blower 14.

As shown in FIG. 3, the water level in the tank 10 is well below the lower open end of the housing 12 and an annular baffle structure 38 is disposed in the upper part of the tank below the lower end of the housing. The baflle structure 38 includes inner and outer rings 40 and 42 which support a series of inclined baflies 44, the bafiies being spaced and overlapping and preferably sloping in such a direction that the air as it flows from the upper part of the tank 10 into the housing 12 must make a sharp turn so as to aid in separating dirt and water from such air. Baflles 44 impart a spiralling motion to the airstream as it flows upwardly through the housing 12 so as to aid in separating dirt from the airstream.

The inner ring 40 of the baflle structure provides a central opening for accommodating the drive shaft 45 of pump 46 which is supported on braces 48 which extend across the tank 10 at the water level. A shroud ring 50 encloses the pump 46 and extends from the water level in the tank 10 to justbelow the bafiles 44 so as to prevent the flow of air from the tank upwardly through the inner ring 40 of the baflie. A vertical dividing wall 51 extends across the air space in the upper part of the tank 10 and cooperates with a spaced vertical wall 52 so as to conduct the air flowing into the air space in the tank on one side of wall 51 to approximately the center of the tank so as to better distribute the incoming air below the baflie structure 38. Wall 52 extends from inlet 32 to shroud ring 50 and is disposed tangent thereto. The cross section of the annular air flow path below baffle 38 is greater than that of inlet 32 which serves to substantially decrease the velocity of the dirt-laden air after it enters the upper part of the tank, and the cross section of the air flow path up wardly through housing 12 is greater yet. This, coupled with the abrupt change in direction of the air as it flows upwardly through the battle structure and the spiralling ac tion imparted to the air by the baffle structure, contributes to the separation of dirt particles from the air as it flows through the washer.

, path provided by the housing 12 A spray generating means is disposed in the gas flow and is operable for cre-' ating and discharging a spray of liquid across the stream as it flows upwardly through the housing 12. The spray generating means comprises the pump 46 which is arranged to discharge a hollow column of water upwardly into the gas stream parallel to the flow thereof, and a series of radially extending impellers or vanes 54 mounted on shaft 45. A. series of impellers 54 are adjustably mounted on a collar 58. A series of collars 58, each with a series of impellers 54 thereon, are fixed to the shaft 45 andspaced along theclength thereof. The shaft 45 is disposed on the axis of the air path through the housing 12 and within the hollow column of water discharged upwardly into the air path from the annular discharge orifice 60 of the pump 46 so that the impellers 54 upon rotation of the shaft 45 are engageable with the upwardly flowing column of water discharged from the pump 46.

A disc 62 mounted on the shaft above the impellers 54 serves to limit the upward flow of the column of water discharged by the pump 46 in the event that such column has not been completely dispersed by the impellers 54. From FIG. it is evident that the path of each of the impellers intersects the liquid column of water discharged by the pump 46. The shaft 45 and the impellers 54 carried thereby are rotated at a speed sufficient to break up the upwardly flowing column of liquid and to impart an outward velocity to liquid particles thereof to form a dense liquid dispersion or spray which extends in an expanding spiral path across the gas stream and throughout a substantial portion of the length of the path provided by the interior of the housing 12 and so thatthe flow path of the liquid dispersion intersects the flowing gas stream in a zone substantially coextensive with the axial distance between the discharge orifice 60 of the pump 46 and the disc 62.

The shaft 45 at its lower end is supported in a bearing 64 provided at the lower end of the pump 46 and at its upper end is driven through a flexible coupling 66 which connects the shaft 45 to a vertical shaft 68 which forms a part of the bevel gear drive 70. The bevel gear drive 70 is suitably supported from cross brackets 72 disposed within the upper part of the housing 12. The input shaft 74 of the bevel gear drive 70 is driven through a flexible coupling 76 from a shaft 78 which projects exteriorly of the housing 12 and is provided with a pulley 80 whereby it is driven through belt 82 from a pulley 84 fixed on the shaft of motor 86. The motor 86 may be a variable speed motor whereby the drive shaft 45 and the impellers 54 carried thereby may be driven at any selectedspeed for the purpose of varying the spray created by the spray generating means and the output of pump 46. In addition, the impellers 54 may be adjusted so as to change the angle of incidence of the impelling surface thereof with the liquid column for varying the nature of the spraying created. It is notnecessary that all of the impellers 54 be of the same size or oriented in the same manner.

The rate of rotation of the impellers 54 should be sufficientto disperse all of the water discharged by the pump 46. However, it is preferable to have the pump discharge sufficient water so that some will impinge against the under side of the disc 62 so as to insure that all of the impellers 54 will be supplied with water. It is also preferable that the impellers 54 act on the water so that the particles of the water will be deflected in an expanding spiral path across the gas stream and will forcibly impinge on the inner surface of the housing 12 so that the flow path of the liquid particles will intersect the flowing gas stream and serve to separate particles of dirt therefrom, the liquid particles carrying the dirt particles with them into contact with the inside wall of the housing 12 where such liquid with the dirt entrained therein will flow downwardly and drop into the liquid in the tank 10. The rotary motion imparted to the upwardly flowing stream of air by the baffles 44 will additionally tend to centrifugally deposit dirt particles onto the innersurface of the housing 12 so as to be washed down into the liquid in the tank by the downflowing liquid on the inside wall of the housing 12.

The pump proper comprises a sleeve 88 which is carried by a ring 90 which in turn is supported by the braces 48, the lower end of the sleeve 88 extending below the level of the liquid in the tank 10. The upper part 92 of the sleeve 88 above the ring 90 is frusto-conical in shape and is interiorly provided with a series of fixed ribs or vanes t 94 which span the clearance between the inside wall of the portion 92 and the hub 96 which encloses a lower portion of the shaft 45 and is carried thereby. There is, however, a running clearance between the outer surface of the hub 96 and the innermost edges of the ribs 94. The hub 96 carries a series of radially and axially extending vanes or impellers 98 which rotate within the cylindrical pump.

the wall 100 whereby liquid from the tank will flow into the pump chamber where such liquid is subjected to the pumping action of the vanes 98. Upon rotation of the shaft 45 at an appropriate speed the vanes 98 will force liquid upwardly through the annular passage between the frusto-conical portion 92 and the hub 96 and discharge such liquid through the discharge orifice 60 upwardly in the form of a hollow column around the shaft 45. The stationary vanes 94 substantially eliminate the rotation of the liquid before it is discharged through the orifice 60. The frusto-conical sleeve portion 92 provides an annular passage which tapers in cross section toward the orifice 60 and cooperates with vanes 94 to provide a high velocity upward discharge of liquid in the form of a hollow cylinder for engagement by impellers 54.

To aid in cutting up. any thread or lint or stringy material which may be carried along with the air which is brought into the air washer, the outer surface of the hub 96 may be provided with a series of vertically extending shallow corrugations 104 forming cutting edges or ribs for cooperation with the stationary vanes 94. Optionally the upper part of the hub 96 which is coextensive with the stationary vanes 94 may be made separate from.

the rotating conical lower portion 97 of the hub and made stationary by having the vanes 94 secured not only to the inside of the portion 92, but also to the outside of they upper portion of the hub which will in such event be stationary. The lower portion 97 with the vanes 98 will, of course, turn with the shaft 45. The lower end of the shaft 45 is reduced as indicated at and journaled in- The bearing 64 includes a sleeve 114 of resilient rubher-like material which is carried in a sleeve 116 of resilient rubber-like material that has a limited amount of universal movement in the bearing housing 118. The lower end cap 120 of the bearing housing is provided with a threaded inlet opening 122 for receiving the end of a feed pipe whereby water may be supplied to the cavity 124 formed in the lower end of the bearing housing 118. A rotary impeller 126 fixed on the lower end of the shaft 45 functions to draw water into the cavity 124 through the inlet 122 for lubricating the, bearing, the water passing upwardly throughthe bearing and then being discharged around the reduced end of the shaft 110 into the tank 10. Suitable means are provided for maintaining water at the desired level in the tank 10.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In gas-liquid contact apparatus, a housing providing a vertical gas flow path with a gas inlet at its lower end, means for effecting the flow of a stream of gas spirally upwardly through said path, and liquid spray generating means operable for creating and discharging a spray of liquid across said path, said spray generating means comprising liquid pumping means arranged to discharge a column of liquid into said gas stream longitudinally thereof, a shaft rotatable about an axis extending longitudinally of said gas path and a series of impellers on said shaft and extending radially outwardly therefrom and being spaced along said axis substantially throughout the length of said column, each of said impellers intersecting and acting upon a portion only of said column to permit the remainder of the column to flow past such impeller to other of said impellers, and power means for effecting rotation of said shaft at a speed sufiicient to break up the liquid impacted by said impellers into particles and to impart an outward velocity to the liquid particles to form a liquid dispersion which extends in a spiral path across said gas stream throughout a substantial portion of the length of said gas path.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said liquid column is hollow and said axis is disposed within said column.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 including bafiie means at the lower end of said housing for distributing the gas throughout an annular flow path upwardly through said housing.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said bafile means are arranged to cause an abrupt change in direction of gas flow as the gas passes through said baffle means into said housing,

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said baffle means are adapted to impart an upwardly spiraling motion to the gas.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 including liquid collecting means below said baffie means.

7. In an air washing apparatus, a housing having an air inlet at its lower end and an upwardly extending encircling side wall, means for effecting the flow of air through said inlet and in a circumferential direction within said housing stationary bafile means adjacent the lower end of said housing in the path of the air flow but above said air inlet for distributing the incoming air substantially uniformly throughout an annular horizontal path below said baffle means and substantially co-extensive in radial extent with the encircling housing side wall, said bafiie means directing the air upwardly from said annular path through said bafile means so as to be substantially uniformly distributed throughout an annular air washing zone above said baffie means and extending to the encircling housing side wall, said baffle means being arranged to cause an abrupt change in the direction of air flow as the air passes through said baflle means upwardly into said housing, liquid pumping means arranged to discharge a column of liquid upwardly into said housing along the axis of said air washing zone, and power driven rotary spray generating means disposed in the path of said liquid column above said bafile means and adapted to break up the liquid into particles which are thrown radially outwardly through said air washing zone to impinge on the encircling housing side wall.

8. An apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said baffle means are adapted to impart an upwardly spiraling motion to the air.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 including liquid collecting means below said bafile means.

10. An apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said spray generating means includes a rotating plate lying perpendicular to said liquid column and limiting upward flow thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 677,236 4/1901 Kennedy 261-89 2,224,429 12/ 1940 Fisher 261-79 X 2,268,219 12/1941 Lyons et al. 261-91 2,409,088 10/ 1946 Weits et a1. 261-79 X 2,755,129 7/1956 Lyon 26 1-91 X 2,931,458 5/1960 Vane 261-118 X 3,128,320 4/1964 Umbricht 261-89 X 3,149,935 9/1964 Jamison et a1 261-91 X 3,168,596 2/1965 Jamison 261-91 X 3,179,387 4/1965 Umbricht 26 1-36 3,194,544 7/1965 Jamison et al 261-89 X HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner. TIM R. MILES, Examiner. 

1. IN GAS-LIQUID CONTACT APPARATUS, A HOUSING PROVIDING A VERTICAL GAS FLOW PATH WITH A GAS INLET AT ITS LOWER END, MEANS FOR EFFECTING THE FLOW OF A STREAM OF GAS SPIRALLY UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID PATH, AND LIQUID SPRAY GENERATING MEANS OPERABLE FOR CREATING AND DISCHARGING A SPRAY OF LIQUID ACROSS SAID PATH, SAID SPRAY GENERATING MEANS COMPRISING LIQUID PUMPING MEANS ARRANGED TO DISCHARGE A COLUMN OF LIQUID INTO SAID GAS STREAM LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, A SHAFT ROTATABLE ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID GAS PATH AND A SERIES OF IMPELLERS ON SAID SHAFT AND EXTENDING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY THEREFROM AND BEING SPACED ALONG SAID AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE LENTGH OF SAID COLUMN, EACH OF SAID IMPELLERS INTERSECTING AND ACTING UPON A PORTION ONLY OF SAID COLUMN TO PERMIT THE REMAINDER OF THE COLUMN TO FLOW PAST SUCH IMPELLER TO OTHER OF SAID IMPELLERS, AND POWER MEANS FOR EFFECTING ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT AT A SPEED SUFFICIENT TO BREAK UP THE LIQUID IMPACTED BY SAID IMPELLERS INTO PARTICLES AND TO IMPART AN OUTWARD VELOCITY TO THE LIQUID PARTICLES TO FORM A LIQUID DISPERSION WHICH EXTENDS IN A SPIRAL PATH ACROSS SAID GAS STREAM THROUGHOUT A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE LENGTH OF SAID GAS PATH. 